The growing competition in the marketplace is demonstrating the power of having a reputable recruiting firm provide access to in-demand professionals. According to Jobvite’s annual Social Job Seeker Survey, fewer Americans are looking for a job, yet many professionals are open to new opportunities if they come calling. The organization surveyed 1,029 workers, with 9 percent saying they were actively looking for a new position – much less than the 16 percent recorded in 2011.

Despite the fact that many professionals stated that they were not working toward finding a new position, the number of passive seekers who would accept a job offer if it were made increased significantly. A passive job seeker is defined as someone who is already employed, but also open to new opportunities. They are not necessarily unhappy with their current position, but may be willing to switch companies if the right offer was presented. ERE reported that 69 percent of workers would be open to hearing about a potential position, compared to 61 percent recorded for the previous year.

Although the percentage of workers who are looking for a new job has declined and passive job seeking is on the rise, it’s up to staffing and recruiting professionals to use all of the resources available to them to meet clients’ needs.

How to attract a passive job seeker

Unlike workers who are actively trying to find a new position, a passive job seeker isn’t going to be sending out their resume via the internet each and every day. Instead, many will keep a close look out for new positions that sound positive through their personal network – largely LinkedIn and other social media networks. Chances are that the best way to make initial contact with a passive job seeker is to communicate via LinkedIn with a personalized introductory email. Mentioning or linking to a job posting that seems like an ideal fit or offering to discuss the options are key ways to intrigue the individual enough to get a message back.

Sometimes, passive job seekers may not feel as if the position a staffing professional first contacted them about is an ideal fit, but that doesn’t mean the person should be crossed off the contact list. Having this person fill out a complete profile or submit a resume that will be integrated into staffing software and recruiting software will allow a recruiter to flag this individual for potential future work. Staffing and recruiting software provides a quick and easy way to organize candidates who could meet the needs of clients.

Key factors to highlight about positions

Following the recession and the subsequent mass layoffs, many workers find that stability is a precious commodity. According to the Towers Watson 2011/2012 Talent Management and Rewards Study, employers are underestimating the importance of stability when advertising their business and job opening. Research found that job security was the number one reason a worker would leave a job to join a company. The second most important factor, which was less of a surprise, was pay. Passive job seekers are aware of their market value and want to be compensated fairly. While it is not possible for a staffing professional looking for candidates to promise any type of salary, it is possible to indicate a salary range or make note of the competitive compensation package that many workers receive.